Chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel Of Birdies In Austin Flipped A Coin To Determine Her Future

Radio Cherry Bombe

The Cherry Bombe Podcast Network

Kerry Diamond, Women In Food, Women, Chefs, Society & Culture, Cherry Bombe Magazine, Entrepreneurs, Arts, Business, Food, Food Radio, Talk Radio, Careers, Radio Cherry Bombe, Restaurants, Female Chefs, Restaurateurs, Interviews, 591312

4.6 • 592 Ratings

🗓️ 4 August 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

If you’re agonizing over a big life decision, Chef Tracy has a simple solution for you. Flip a coin. It sounds crazy, but that’s exactly what she and her husband, Arjav Ezekiel, did when they couldn’t decide where to move. Start their future together in Portland, Oregon, where Arjav was from? Or move to bustling Austin? They tossed a quarter in the air and let fate decide. “Tails, it’s Texas” prevailed. Today, their restaurant, Birdie’s, is one of the most celebrated eateries in the city, the state, and beyond. Fans love the food and drink, the counter-service vibe, and the warm hospitality. (Arjav recently won a James Beard for being a great beverage pro. Congrats, Arjav!) But Birdie’s is also admired for its enlightened employee practices, like paid vacation, maternity leave, and health insurance. It’s one of the reasons Tracy was named to our first-ever Cherry Bombe Power List. Tracy joined me from Austin for this episode to chat about her life and career, from working for Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group to cheffing through IVF and a tough pregnancy, and her love of fingerling potatoes. Do all chefs love potatoes? I think so. Tracy’s an inspiring human, and I’m so happy to have her back on the show. Give a listen, and, of course, if you find yourself in Austin, go visit Birdie’s. –Host Kerry Diamond Thank you to The Visa Dining Collection by OpenTable x Visa for their support. Tickets for Jubilee L.A. Join the waitlist for our Summer Tastemaker Tour Subscribe to Cherry Bombe’s print magazine Follow me on Instagram

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hi, everyone.
0:05.7	You are listening to Radio Cherry Bomb, and I'm your host, Carrie Diamond.
0:09.1	I'm the founder and editor of Cherry Bomb magazine.
0:12.7	Today's guest is Tracy Malachek-Ezekiel, the chef and co-owner of Birdies in Austin.
0:19.0	It's one of the most celebrated restaurants in the country,
0:21.8	for good reason, great food and great service. But as important, Tracy and her husband, co-owner
0:27.6	our Java Zechial, are working hard to make it a thoughtful, sustainable place for their team
0:32.7	and for themselves. We're talking paid family leave, health insurance, several weeks of paid vacation,
0:38.7	and more. In an industry where that's still the exception, Tracy and our job are setting a new
0:43.6	standard. It's one of the reasons Tracy is on our 2025 power list, which you can find on
0:48.9	cherrybom.com and in our latest issue. Stay tuned for my chat with Tracy.
0:57.9	Today's episode is presented by Visa and OpenTable.
1:00.8	Want a chance to nab that impossible to get reservation or be among the first at a buzzy new opening?
1:03.7	OpenTable and Visa have teamed up to make your dining dreams come true.
1:08.2	With the Visa Dining Collection,
1:09.6	eligible Visa credit card holders in the U.S., Canada, and
1:12.8	Mexico, get access to coveted primetime reservations and culinary events through open table. We're talking
1:19.2	local legends, critical darlings, and award-winning restaurants at the times you actually want
1:24.8	to eat. And that's not all. The Visa Dining Collection also includes special
1:29.0	experiences like Chef Co-Labs, preview dinners, and celebrations spotlighting incredible women
1:35.1	and food. All you need to do is log into Open Table, add your eligible Visa credit card,
1:40.5	and unlock a world of delicious possibilities. The Cherry Bomb Summer Tastemaker Tour is one of those
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Cherry Bombe Podcast Network, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Cherry Bombe Podcast Network and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.